


Peace

by hutchabelle



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Broken Engagement, F/M, Healing, Healing Sex, Hotel Sex, Islands, Misunderstandings, Nature, Peace, Sunsets, Therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-05 02:39:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14607468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hutchabelle/pseuds/hutchabelle
Summary: A room mixup at Panem Resort brings two hurting people together for a vacation of healing.





	Peace

 

 

_The sun slides into the water and floods the sky and beach with a deep orange hue that entrenches itself in my soul. I’m surprised there’s anything there for it to cling to. It’s been a very hard year—harder than anyone should have to endure, and I’m hiding out on an island in the South China Sea trying to figure out how to come back to life._

_I’m much too young to have given up already._

_Rebirth is a curious thing. The Phoenix regenerates through fire, and I’ve certainly endured that in the past few months. But that’s mythology, and I’ve always been a bit more fond of nature than what the Egyptians and Greeks believed a few millennia ago. That’s usually why I eagerly anticipate the end of winter, when the earth is dormant and animals hibernate. There’s nothing quite like the Appalachian Mountains in the springtime when the snow melts and green grass and the cream and violet of crocuses peer through the remnants of the dead season._

_My favorite day of the year is when I see the dandelions break out in their raucous yellow glory to pattern the ground in polka dots. It’s rebirth, which is what I need._

_I swallow hard as memories of my little sister and me making necklaces and crowns from the yellow flowers flood my mind. My heart clenches, and I press my eyes shut to stop the torrent of tears. She’s still with me. I must remember that. She’s living with her husband and family several hours away from our hometown. Just because her spouse hates me and decided she hardly ever needs to come home doesn’t mean she’s gone. Just because we rarely talk doesn’t mean she doesn’t love me anymore._

_The sky deepens to a navy blue and then to black with a sprinkle of twinkling stars. Heaving a sigh, I realize I’m not ready to go home. I need more time before I’m healed._

 

****

 

“What can we do to help you, Ms. Everdeen?” The man at the front desk was one of the nicest-looking people Katniss had ever met, and his charisma oozed through the phone line.

 

“I was wondering if there’s any way I might be able to extend my stay,” Katniss stammered into the receiver. “I’m not sure how that works, and I know I’m supposed to check out tomorrow, but I’d really like some more time here.”

 

“I’m certainly happy to take care of that for you, Ms. Everdeen. For how many days would you like to extend your stay?”

 

 _Smooth_ , she thought, but it didn’t bring her any comfort. She wasn’t in the mood for charming. She just wanted to get better.

 

“I’m not sure. A few days. Maybe a week. Maybe more. Is that a problem?”

 

“No, Ms. Everdeen. That should be fine. I’ll make a note of the reservation change in the computer and place the applicable charges to the card on file.”

 

“Thank you, Finnick.”

 

“It’s my pleasure, Ms. Everdeen.”

 

With a sigh, Katniss hung up the phone and sank onto the bed. A breeze ruffled the curtains so that they billowed into the room, and she studied the palm trees that swayed outside her balcony. She could just glimpse a strip of blue ocean before she gave into exhaustion and lay back so she could escape the world with a nap.

 

It was close to sunset when she woke, and she grimaced as a bead of sweat ran down her neck and trailed between her breasts on the way to her bare stomach. Heaving a sigh, she rose and stripped as she meandered across her room and to the shower. It was her favorite part of the accommodations. Running half the length of the bathroom, the glass stall housed a massive rainfall showerhead that released a rush of water. Steam billowed against the walls, and Katniss doodled an abstract pattern before stepping under the spray.

 

She was so caught up in the feel of water caressing her body that she didn’t hear the key in the lock or the turn of the handle. As she massaged shampoo into her hair, the man who’d entered the room called hello and crossed to the bathroom. When he saw the shadow of her form in the steam covered glass, he jerked to a stop.

 

 _Why is there a woman in my room?_ Peeta wondered as he told himself he should look away. He couldn’t, though. There was something in the graceful twist of her body that commanded his entire attention. If he was honest with himself, he’d admit a pang of desire as he observed the feminine curves that hid behind the fogged glass and the arc of her neck as she rinsed her hair. His hands itched to run along the outline of her wet skin, and he swallowed hard as her hands wiped the soap from her torso before reaching out to shut off the water.

 

“What are you doing here?!”

 

He started at her shriek and backed away with raised hands. She grappled with a towel and covered herself as she peeked around the edge of the shower stall.

 

“I-I’m so sorry,” he stammered. “I—Th—this is supposed to be my room.”

 

“This is _my_ room!” she barked.

 

“I’m sure we can figure this out,” he started, but the sheer panic on her face made him rethink his attempt at reason. Her dark hair was plastered to her head and hung over her bare shoulders, and he noticed her gray eyes shot fiery sparks at him in her agitated state. He was almost ashamed to admit that the rivulets of water running down her bare shoulders and legs were highly arousing. “You know what? I’m just gonna go. It’s clear there’s been a mix-up, and I can deal with the front desk to fix this.”

 

“That would be wonderful,” she spat, and he backed toward the door before fumbling with the doorknob.

 

“So sorry about this, ma’am. I, uh…really am sorry.”

 

Katniss stood dripping in the shower, chest heaving with indignation as the unwelcome visitor stumbled from the room. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, she scurried across the floor, double locked the door, and attached the chain before collapsing into the armchair facing the balcony.

 

“How did he get in here?” she hissed, her voice as unsteady as her hands. She heaved in a few gulps of air for reassurance and then dried herself quickly and dressed. She toweled her hair dry and had just woven it into a haphazard braid when the room phone rang. She grabbed for it and answered on the second ring. It wasn’t a surprise when Finnick’s voice came over the line.

 

“Ms. Everdeen, I’m so sorry for the confusion,” he began in his most amiable tone. “I can assure you, it is _not_ the policy of Panem Resorts to send unfamiliar men into single women’s rooms. I take full responsibility for the misunderstanding. When I extended your stay, I forgot to change the reservation for the guest arriving today. The problem has been remedied, and on behalf of the entire resort’s staff, I’d like to comp the rest of your stay with us.”

 

“Umm, I…” Her indignation died on her lips as Finnick’s words registered.

 

“I’d also like to offer food and drink vouchers for your use during the rest of your stay. They can be used at any of our restaurants and bars at your discretion. I’ll have someone deliver them to your room as quickly as possible. I’ve taken the liberty of extending your stay through the Monday after next. If you require more time or decide to leave us before then, please just let me know. I’m here to make your experience as pleasant as possible.”

 

“Th-thank you,” she stammered and bid him goodbye, too stunned to complain.

 

Flustered, she shrugged and finished dressing for dinner. If the food was free, she wasn’t going to turn it down. As she pulled a sundress from her suitcase, she pushed the blonde curls, blue eyes, and stocky build of the intruder from earlier out of her mind. His presence in her life was only a small blip on the radar. She was here to recover, and that’s what she intended to do.

 

****

 

“Mr. Mellark, I’m so very sorry for the misunderstanding.”

 

Peeta nodded at Finnick Odair, who he’d previously met at check-in and then again when he explained the room mix up with the raven-haired beauty he’d met briefly when she was wet and naked. He shook his head to clear his mind. It wasn’t right to fantasize about a woman who clearly hadn’t wanted him in her room, although he’d been sure it was his. Either way, he had more self-control than to mentally leer at a nude woman against her will. With an internal sigh, he forced himself to concentrate on what the resort employee was saying.

 

“Ms. Everdeen recently extended her stay, and the change resulted in the mistake. I apologize for any inconvenience, and I’d like to offer a comped stay and meal and drink vouchers for your entire vacation with us here at Panem Resorts.”

 

Surprised, Peeta protested, “That hardly seems necessary. I’m sure it was an honest mistake.”

 

“Nonsense,” Finnick replied with a disarming smile. “I insist. I assume this room is to your liking? It’s identical to your previous reservation. Just a little further down the beach in District 12 of the resort.”

 

“Fine. It’s completely fine,” Peeta murmured, exhaustion muddling his brain as jet lag caught up with him. “Thanks for taking care of this so quickly.”

 

“It’s my job to make sure the odds are in your favor, sir. I’ll just leave you alone to settle. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.”

 

Peeta sank onto the bed as the door snapped closed. He ran a hand through his unruly curls and squeezed his eyes shut. The image of the woman swam behind his eyelids, and he felt a tug in his groin.

 

“Happy honeymoon to me,” he grumbled. “Left at the altar. Random unclothed woman in my hotel room. Desperately alone.”

 

Giving into despondency, he allowed himself to envision the earlier scenario playing out differently. He unbuttoned his shorts and stroked himself as he imagined the towel falling from her and her welcoming him into her wet embrace. He grunted as he jerked, but no amount of lube made up for the isolation he felt as he masturbated.

 

When he came, he felt no relief. He was supposed to be making love to his new wife, not spilling into his own hand. With a frustrated groan, he stripped and stepped into the shower. As he cleaned himself, he longed for his problems to follow the suds down the drain. Unfortunately, they met him in his dreams when he fell into a fitful sleep filled with nightmares.

 

****

 

Katniss woke the next morning and stretched languidly. She’d enjoyed her dinner the previous night—fish and fresh fruit at a table on the beach with a few glasses of wine. The breeze off the ocean had smelled so good, she’d spent the hours after eating on her balcony in a gauzy swimsuit cover up that barely counted as clothing.

 

There was something risqué about sitting outside in the dark in sheer fabric as the wind blew her hair into a jumbled mess. She wasn’t an exhibitionist in any way, but she’d felt a little reckless after recovering from the initial shock of finding an admittedly gorgeous man in her room as she stepped from the shower. His reaction to her had been obvious, although he’d proved to be as much of a gentleman as he could have considering the situation. It wasn’t his fault he’d been given a key to her room, and he’d been as apologetic as possible for someone who looked as wrecked with exhaustion as he had.

 

She pushed him from her mind as she rolled onto her side. He wasn’t her concern. _She_ was as she faced yet another day since the death of her father, her mother’s placement in a mental hospital, and abandonment by her sister. She had two friends, Gale Hawthorne and Madge Undersee, but both had their own problems and had done as much as they could to help her get through the crises of the past few years. She’d been in counseling long enough to know that she needed to learn self-care. She was terrible at putting herself first, and it had been a process to figure out how to do that.

 

Moaning softly, she threw the covers from her and stumbled to the bathroom. After a quick shower, she braided her hair and pulled on her dark green one piece. Last night’s dinner on the shore had convinced her she needed to take advantage of the soothing power of the ocean while she was there. Grabbing a book, sunglasses, and sunscreen, she made her way to the beach and found a lounge chair where she spent the day when she wasn’t cooling off in the waves.

 

For the first time since she’d arrived at the resort on Panem, she felt a hint of relief. It wasn’t peace yet, but she had another ten days before she returned to the emptiness of her real life back in the States.

 

****

 

Peeta had just entered the restaurant when he saw her. Isolated from other diners by herself at a table for two in the corner, the woman looked much less like a drowned rat and more like a goddess. He hesitated for several moments before he decided it might be nice to clear the air.

 

“Excuse me,” he said softly as he approached, “Ms. Everdeen?”

 

Katniss startled at her name and glanced upward to see the man who’d walked in on her when she was in the shower. She shrank back imperceptibly but managed to answer with a clear, strong voice.

 

“Yes?”

 

“My name’s Peeta. Peeta Mellark,” he offered in explanation with an extended hand. “I’m so sorry again for the mix-up yesterday. It’s not my habit to walk in on women in any state of undress. Unless invited, of course.”

 

She hesitated but shook his hand. He didn’t seem to be anything other than genuinely sincere, but she wasn’t looking for conversation. She only wanted a quiet meal on the patio.

 

“Katniss Everdeen.”

 

“Ah, Ms. Everdeen. Mr. Mellark. Are you dining together this evening?” Annie Odair, Finnick’s wife and head waitress at the resort’s finest restaurant, glanced between them speculatively. She motioned for Peeta to take his seat and waited to present them with menus. Unsure, Peeta started to protest, but Katniss waved her hand.

 

“It’s fine. I’ve eaten alone too often this week anyway.”

 

With murmured thanks, Peeta seated himself and smiled nervously at the woman across the table. Annie handed them both menus before explaining the specials for the evening.

 

“Might I suggest the redfish. Cinna, our chef, is famous for his recipe.” When they both nodded their agreement, Annie took their unused menus and left them alone.

 

“So…”

 

Katniss looked at him, her eyes solemn, and he took note of the unusual color. Gray eyes marked by a few flecks of deep green stared at him. He saw a sadness that reached across the table and squeezed his heart, but that was much too intimate for a first dinner conversation. Clearing his throat, he clasped his hands and leaned his chin on them.

 

“I’d love to do the old-fashioned thing where I ask you thoughtful, probing questions to get to know you, but maybe this isn’t the right venue for that.” At the spark of fear in her eyes, he continued, “Peeta Mellark from Charlotte. Recently left at the altar. I’m on a honeymoon for one. In other words, I’m completely messed up and am taking advantage of a non-refundable vacation to forget the past few months of my life. Now that you know how screwed up I am, you have no need to worry. I’m not going to attack you, and you can’t possibly be more fucked up than I am.”

 

She blinked at him, taken aback by his transparency and haunted by a familiarity that made her long to open up to him. Saved from answering by the arrival of a complimentary bottle of Pinot Gris, she twisted her hands under the table until they were alone again. Taking a few sips for strength, she made a snap decision.

 

“I’m from a small town in southern West Virginia. It’s been a rough couple of years, and I needed some time away from everything. My boss is more understanding than I deserve, so he gave me a month off work and told me to leave. I was supposed to go back a few days ago, but I changed my mind. As you know…”

 

“I do know,” he agreed and smiled gently. “As shocking as it was to find someone else in my room, I can’t say I regret meeting you tonight. We don’t have to talk. We can just sit together and enjoy this if you’d feel more comfortable. No pressure. People say I’m fairly easy to get along with.”

 

A light breeze ruffled his hair, and he motioned to the white sand that disappeared into darkness. The half-moon shone on the water, and palm trees rustled in the wind. Strings of soft lights decorated the patio, and piano music tinkled over the speakers.

 

Katniss raised her glass to him. “Cheers to quiet dinner companions and a place to heal.”

 

“Cheers to that,” he agreed with a clink and nod.

 

The redfish was excellent, and so was the company. They spoke occasionally, but they mostly enjoyed a companionable silence throughout their meal. When they were done, he offered to walk her back to her cabin, and she agreed hesitantly. At her door, he kissed her on the cheek and thanked her for spending the evening with him. Before she had a chance to respond, he turned and faded into the darkness. It was the first night since she’d arrived that she didn’t have nightmares.

 

****

 

Peeta cursed as his knee wobbled under him. He wasn’t used to such spongy ground on his hikes, but the jungle around the Panem Resort was too tempting not to explore. He was sweating, his t-shirt clinging in spotty patches against his chest and back. He’d lost count of the number of times he’d swiped at his forehead and smacked at mosquitos. Irritated, he sat on the boulder to the side of the path to catch his breath. A rustle from around the bend startled him, but it wasn’t long before Katniss turned the corner and saw him sitting there.

 

“Hi, stranger,” he called. “What are you doing so far from home?”

 

Katniss observed him as he bent and then alternatively stretched out his left leg. He grimaced slightly as he did so, and she wondered if he’d aggravated an old injury while he was hiking.

 

She motioned to him and asked, “Taking a break? That’s not usually how a workout goes, you know.”

 

He chuckled softly and threw up his hands in mock anger. “Way to call me out there. My manhood is completely offended. Getting shown up by a woman. Geez.”

 

She sank down next to him on the boulder and wiped her face with the towel she’d slung over her neck when she’d left her cabin that morning. “I have a confession,” she whispered. “I’m completely exhausted.”

 

“No! Say it isn’t so.”

 

“Oh, but it is. I’m out of shape, and it’s hot as balls out here.”

 

“As hot as balls, you say?” he asked with an arched brow and a pleased smirk. “How hot exactly are these balls of which you speak?”

 

Fighting to keep a straight face, she deadpanned, “About 100 degrees and slick with sweat.”

 

He snorted, and they dissolved into laughter together. It was amazing how easy it felt to talk to him, and she realized it’d been several weeks since she’d let go and given into full-fledged mirth. Their conversation was nonsense, but it was everything at the same time. He seemed to understand her hesitancy, her desperate desire to remain private, and he didn’t push. He just allowed her to be, which was exactly what her counselor had been telling her to do.

 

When they stilled, she cocked her head and appraised him. Nodding sharply, she made a decision.

 

“My father died four years ago. My mom’s since been institutionalized, and my sister’s husband hates me. We don’t see each other regularly. I haven’t been handling things too well, so my counselor suggested I get away.” When he didn’t respond, she sighed. “I thought maybe a hike would help clear my mind today. Instead, I’m a ball of sweat.”

 

“We’ve covered that, already,” he teased.

 

“Fair enough,” she laughed.

 

“I thought maybe I’d sit for a while and listen to the jungle. See what it has to tell me.” His eyes flicked over her face, and he gave her a smile with just a hint of shyness. “You’re welcome to stay with me. I’m planning to go to the beach next and eavesdrop on the waves. I hear there’s a cove that legend says reveals secrets to lost souls.”

 

“I think I’d like that,” she murmured thoughtfully. “Maybe we can watch the clouds a little too. Sometimes they have stories no one else knows.”

 

Peeta nudged her shoulder with his and wiped his face again. “Now you’re getting the hang of it. I plan to spend the entire day that way. It’d be really nice to have some company.”

 

“Shhh,” she hissed. “The jungle’s trying to talk to me.”

 

He ducked his head to hide his grin and fell silent. Several hours later, he wandered back to his cabin, his mind peaceful and his heart full from listening to what nature had to tell him.

 

_Slow down. Stop worrying. Some people aren’t supposed to be with you forever. Others find you when you least expect it. Just be._

 

When he woke the next morning, he realized he’d slept without nightmares. He hadn’t even done that with his fiancée. _Ex_ -fiancée. Maybe there was something to the air in Panem. Or maybe it was spending time with Katniss. Either way, he felt better than when he’d asked Cashmere to marry him and she’d accepted his proposal. That had to mean something.

 

****

 

She found him after lunch the following day sitting alone under a palm tree at the edge of the beach with a pencil and tablet. She realized he was sketching as she watched the tip of his tongue peek from between his lips and his eyes narrow in concentration. She waited patiently until he glanced up and waved. When he did, she crossed the sand and sank down next to him.

 

“I thought maybe I’d do something a little less tame today. Still listening to nature but with a bit more flair,” she explained. “I didn’t know whether or not I’d see you today, but I wouldn’t be horrified if you decided to come along with me. You might like it.”

 

“Wouldn’t be horrified… How encouraging,” he replied with a wink. “What is this gloriously dangerous activity you’re asking me to join? I can hardly wait.”

 

“Parasailing.”

 

“Parasailing? Like up in the air parasailing?”

 

“Is there any other kind?” Katniss teased. “I hear it’s wonderful. Peaceful, like you’re flying. I’ve always wanted to be a bird. My father used to call me his mockingjay because I used to mimic everyone when I was young. It’s a fake bird, but it was a sweet nickname.”

 

Peeta didn’t answer right away. Instead, he let her story hang between them so she could process it. After a few minutes, he broke the silence. “Well, in that case, I might have to take you up on the offer. I’m guessing I shouldn’t take my sketch pad with me. Might lose it over the Pacific somewhere.”

 

She glanced at her wrist. “I have a reservation at three. You have time to take it to your cabin if you’d like. I’m happy to wait here for you. Let the waves have a conversation with me for a while.”

 

“Decidedly tame,” he joked and scrambled to his feet. “I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

 

She adjusted her sunglasses and toyed with the end of her braid as she waited for him. The steady sound of waves beating repeatedly against the shore assaulted her ears, reminding her that life is both stable and unpredictable. The waves were never the same twice, but they always came, one after another, as they pulled sand from the shore and deposited it from the ocean at the same time.

 

She was almost in a trance when Peeta’s shadow fell over her, and she looked up to see his right hand extended to help her up from her seated position. She refused to acknowledge the charge that passed between them when his hand wrapped around hers and he tugged her upright. She didn’t have time for electricity.

 

She did have time to fly, though, and that’s exactly what it felt like when she and Peeta were strapped in the harness and raised into the air. The first thing they both noticed was the silence. Once they were off the deck of the speedboat and a few dozen yards into the air, the sound of the motor faded away, and they could only hear the rush of wind as they were pulled along. The blue sea spread out beneath them, and black rocks peered through in outcroppings amongst the green mountains of the jungle.

 

“This is breathtaking,” Peeta said, awed by the beauty before them.

 

“It’s amazing,” she agreed and eagerly soaked in the sight.

 

“Do you feel like you’re flying?”

 

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, and she reached for him. “Soaring like a mockingjay,” she answered.

 

He squeezed her hand in response, and they intertwined their fingers until they were safely back on the boat. Later, she realized she hadn’t wanted to let go.

 

****

 

They settled into a routine. One would find the other in the morning, and they’d spend their day together. Day after day until only a few remained until she was scheduled to leave. They talked, but they spent significant time being quiet together, listening to the wind and waves and finding an equilibrium both of them needed.

 

“I hear there’s a swimming hole we need to visit before we leave,” Peeta told her over dinner three days before she was supposed to checkout and fly home. “Finnick said it’s absolutely gorgeous at sunset. Want to head there after we’re done eating?”

 

“How long will it take to get there?”

 

“I think it’s a twenty minute walk or something. Why?” he asked. “Do you need to take care of something first?” She grinned, and he waited for her response.

 

“I just know we’re supposed to wait thirty minutes after eating before we swim.”

 

He rolled his eyes and took a bite of his fish. “That was a terrible joke. Worse than any of mine. I expected better of you, Katniss.”

 

“I’m hilarious. You know I am.”

 

Peeta nodded and wiped his mouth. “I need to go change into swim trunks. Meet you at your room in a few minutes?”

 

“I’ll be ready,” she agreed, and they parted ways.

 

Back in her cabin, she rummaged through her things for a swimsuit she hadn’t worn fifteen times in front of him already. Her fingers snagged on a black strap, and she considered it for a second before pulling it from the drawer.

 

It was a one-piece, but it might as well have been a bikini or nothing at all. She’d bought it on a whim when she and Prim had spent the day shopping together a month before her younger sister’s wedding. The straps were designed to wrap around her shoulders and torso and held the top and bottom, such as they were, together. She fingered the slick fabric and shrugged.

 

“Might as well,” she mumbled as she slid it over her legs. It took several minutes of adjusting before it was on correctly, but the image reflected in the mirror reassured her she’d chosen well. She slipped a semi-sheer robe over her suit and waited for Peeta to join her.

 

Peeta knocked on her door a few moments later, and he smiled at her when she opened her door. Her gray eyes glowed almost silver in the evening light, and he noticed she’d pulled her hair up into a topknot rather than her signature braid. It looked nice, a little dressier than normal, and he was pleased she’d made the extra effort. Whether it was for him or her, he still benefitted from her beauty.

 

“Here we are,” he announced when they found the pool. It was deserted, which surprised them both, but neither would have wanted to share it with anyone else. Peeta stripped his t-shirt off and tossed it onto the rocks surrounding the pool. He turned just as Katniss untied her robe and revealed her suit.

 

“Holy shit,” he whispered and tried hard not to gape, but it was no use. Her body, lithe and toned, was wrapped in black ribbons like a present, and his hands itched to touch her in ways he hadn’t considered since the first day they’d met.

 

Katniss hung her robe on a low-hanging tree branch and moved slowly toward him. He licked his lips as the blue water lapped around her curved thighs. Sinking into the water, he hoped to hide his reaction to her, but he knew it would be severely evident when he had to leave the pool.

 

“This is beautiful,” she murmured, and he agreed readily. He forced himself to turn away from her and watch the glowing sun sink behind the mountains. Dark pinks melted into a brilliant orange, his favorite color.

 

“Are you ready to go home?” he asked and fought to curb his sadness that their time together was almost at an end.

 

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I needed this. I really did, but I kind of miss the routine.”

 

“Understandable.”

 

She hesitated, but she knew she wanted to admit what she was feeling. “I’m also a little sad I won’t see you anymore.”

 

He sucked in his breath and held it. That was the closest thing she’d said that admitted her attraction to him, and he was afraid to ruin the moment.

 

“Peeta…”

 

He exhaled and turned to face her. Her lips parted slightly, and he reached forward to cup her jaw in his palm. Running his thumb along her cheekbone, he leaned toward her and brushed his lips against hers.

 

She stepped into him, and he wrapped his arms around her. Tilting her head back, he kissed her until his head whirled. While the sun set, they held each other as their lips met repeatedly.

 

That night, Peeta lay in bed, frustrated and alone. He’d kept himself in check almost the entire time during his stay at Panem Resorts, and now he needed a release. The memory of the black swimsuit against Katniss’ olive skin stirred his blood, and he groaned as his cock hardened.

 

“Fuck it,” he grunted and reached for the lube he’d packed when he thought he’d be on his honeymoon. He squirted a liberal amount in his hand and reached into his boxers to grasp himself. “Oh shit,” he whispered and closed his eyes as he stroked.

 

When he closed his eyes, he saw Katniss, still in her swimsuit and lying on her bed with her legs splayed. In his mind, she mumbled his name as her hand tucked into the scrap of material covering her mound and rubbed. Stroking faster, he matched his rhythm with his vision of her pleasuring herself. He squeezed tighter and pulled faster as she bit her lip and sent herself over the edge. He followed her; gasping and grunting as he came. When he was through, he sighed at how alone he felt. Katniss was so much better in person than in his imagination.

 

****

 

“I wasn’t sure if you were going to show up this morning,” Katniss admitted when Peeta knocked on her door and asked her if she wanted to grab breakfast.

 

“Only two days left. Better take advantage,” he quipped and held the door for her as she exited her cabin.

 

“Well, yeah, but…”

 

“But what?” he queried as her voiced trailed into silence.

 

“I just…I mean after the, uh, kissing…”

 

“A little kissing wasn’t going to stop me from seeing my best girl on the island,” Peeta teased, and she blushed at his words.

 

“Best girl, huh? I thought I was a woman.”

 

“All woman from what I’ve seen,” he chuckled, and she leaned into him as they walked. He slipped his arm around her waist and squeezed her to him, and she didn’t pull away. Instead, she mirrored his action, and they arrived at breakfast wrapped together.

 

After eating, Katniss suggested lounging on the beach with books, and he obliged. They read and chatted, swam and dozed throughout the day until Peeta proposed they dress for dinner. They dined at their usual corner table, but both felt the crackle of energy that sparked between them. When they were done, Katniss gulped down her fear.

 

“Would you like to come back to my room tonight, Peeta? I thought we could watch the sunset from my balcony.”

 

He scanned her body and studied her face. She wore a long black skirt that skimmed her ankles and a lowcut, backless coral shirt that exposed just enough cleavage to make him want to bury his face in the hollow of her olive skin. He knew what would happen if he went back to her room, and he needed a minute to figure out if she was asking what he thought she was.

 

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” he asked, his voice cracking on the last word.

 

“I’m positive,” she confessed. “Are you sure it’s what _you_ want? You’re the one coming out of an engagement, not me.”

 

“What engagement?” he joked softly. If he was honest, he’d known for a while that his fiancée wasn’t really in love with him the way he’d needed. The past several days with Katniss had proven relationships could be so much more than the shadow of what he’d accepted.

 

“Come back with me,” she implored. “It was supposed to be your room anyway.”

 

He rose from the table and helped her to her feet. He threaded his fingers through hers and led her back to her cabin through the sand, nervously shifting from foot to foot as she fiddled with the lock and finally opened the door. Wordlessly, she led him to the balcony and parted the curtains so they could step back out into the open air.

 

“I’m so glad Finnick messed up my room assignment that first day,” he admitted tenderly as they stared at the palm trees that framed their view.

 

“I…” she began but couldn’t finish.

 

“Charlotte isn’t that far from West Virginia, you know. Maybe…”

 

“Don’t,” she begged. “Please don’t offer something you can’t guarantee.”

 

“What if we could, though? What if it could work?”

 

“What if what we have here is all there is?” she challenged and turned to face him. Peeta tucked a loose lock of her dark hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

 

“Katniss,” he breathed, his voice hoarse with longing.

 

She swayed slightly, and he tilted her head and lowered his lips to hers. The moan that escaped her caused blood to rush to his groin, and she felt a tingling in her nipples that made her press into him. His mouth opened over hers, and she welcomed his tongue. The kissed languidly, slowly, thoroughly for what seemed like hours. His thighs pressed her into the balcony railing, and she reveled at the feeling of steel from both behind and against her pelvis.

 

“So beautiful,” he sighed and captured her bottom lip between his teeth to tug gently.

 

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him impossibly closer so that nothing but the thinnest sliver of air and their clothing separated their heated bodies. He groaned as her breasts strained against his chest and trailed his left hand down her back to tuck into her waistband. Her soft skin felt like velvet under his fingertips, and he wondered how soon he could move underneath the hem of her skirt instead.

 

Katniss threaded her fingers through his curls and tugged hesitantly until he grunted at the pressure. Emboldened by his response, she swept her tongue into his mouth and explored its depths with vigor. He leaned her backward until her back strained, and she pushed lightly on his shoulders to get him to relax.

 

“Peeta, that hurts,” she gasped before trailing her lips down his neck and nipping at his Adam’s apple.

 

“Sorry,” he growled and spun her so she was against the doorway to the balcony. He nudged her legs apart with his knee and captured her left breast with his right hand. He massaged and kneaded it for several moments before slipping the strap from her shoulder and tugging the elastic bodice of her shirt downward.

 

She gasped at the sensation of the sea breeze on her bare skin, but that quickly segued into a garbled moan when he lowered his head and captured her peaked nipple between his lips. He licked and suckled her until her back bowed, and she squirmed against him.

 

“Peeta,” she murmured, “that feels…”

 

She trailed off when he lifted her skirt and ran his hand up her thigh to the triangle of cotton she wore between her legs. He teased the edges before slipping his middle finger under the elastic and tracing her slit. They groaned simultaneously—he at the moisture he found there and she at the electric shock that jolted through her when he teased her entrance.

 

Peeta caught her pebbled nipple between his teeth again and worried it as he slid his finger into her. She mewled at the intrusion but clutched at his shoulders, desperate to bring him closer. Warmth and a dull pain radiated from her breast, and heat so intense it burned emanated from her core. His finger rubbed gently against her walls as he stroked slowly. Without her being aware, she raised one leg to hook over his hip, allowing him better access. He sucked harder on her nipple and added a second finger, which resulted in a loud groan that echoed in the doorway.

 

“Inside,” she begged. “Peeta, we need to go inside.”

 

He lifted his head and captured her mouth again. When she wrapped her other leg around his waist, he tugged her against him and walked them toward the bed. With his left arm around her back and his fingers still inside her, he lay her gently on the bed before lowering himself onto her.

 

“Does that feel good?” he mumbled into her neck as his tongue traced along her jawline.

 

She answered wordlessly, but the sounds she emitted were so loud they were almost embarrassing. He curved his fingers inside her, and she cried out as she shook. He straightened his fingers, pulled all the way out, and then thrust in again before curving into the same spot. She thrashed her head from side to side as he repeated the steps until she tightened and snapped. Her back bowed, and she pulsed as she sang his name. Her walls pulled and tensed around his fingers until she shivered and stilled.

 

“Beautiful,” he whispered and kissed both eyelids before sliding down her body. He rolled her shirt down to her waist as he kissed her skin, pebbled with goosebumps and slick with sweat. When he reached her waist, he pulled her skirt upward until he bared her legs. He bit the top of her panties and dragged them down to her knees with his teeth.

 

Peeta pulled his fingers free, and she sighed at the loss of the feeling of him inside her. She jumped as he kissed her inner thighs and spread them open as much as she could. When his mouth found her core, she cursed and bit her bottom lip. Squeezing her eyes shut, she concentrated on living in the moment and enjoying the sensation of his tongue flicking against her clit instead of questioning how and why she was the recipient of such pleasure. Or what would happen when they left.

 

He inhaled as he nuzzled into her. The smell and feel of her orgasm drove him wild as he licked her clean and traced the ridges of her pussy. His groin throbbed, but he wasn’t in a hurry to find release. Hearing her mewled cries was reward enough as he feasted on her. She yanked at his hair as her pelvis jutted upward. He sucked her clit into his mouth and flicked it with his tongue until he was rewarded with a release of tangy moisture that coated his tongue.

 

“Fuck,” she squealed and twisted under him. “Fuck, Peeta.”

 

He lifted his head to look at her and joked, “Is that an invitation?”

 

“Take your clothes off,” she ordered weakly and then lifted her head to watch as he scrambled off the bed to do her bidding.

 

He tugged his t-shirt over his head first, and she licked her lips at the way his chest muscles rippled as he moved. When he dropped the cotton into a pool on the floor, he flicked open the button on his trousers and unzipped them. His blue eyes blazed as he slipped them over his hips.

 

“Holy shit,” she gasped at the sight of him. His bronzed skin glowed in the darkened room, and his erection jutted upward. He wasn’t huge, but he was certainly respectable. Long and thick with a well-maintained thatch of dark blonde hair at the base. His balls were round and even, and Katniss couldn’t wait to get her hands on them.

 

Peeta reached for her, intent on undressing her the rest of the way, and she took advantage of his thoughtfulness by wrapping her hand around his cock and giving it a purposeful tug.

 

“Don’t,” he ordered gently. “Trying to prolong it.”

 

“You want me to drive it then?” she asked, so turned on and simultaneously relaxed that her words slurred.

 

He nodded and lifted his hands to indicate he was at her command, and she motioned for him to lean against the headboard. He sat with his back supported by pillows and his legs spread out in front of him. She crawled toward him on all fours and ducked her head to suck on his tip. He hissed when she pulled him inside her wet mouth and squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to control himself. As soon as she covered him, she let him go, and he peeked open one eye to watch her.

 

“I’ve always wanted to try this position,” she murmured as she straddled his lap. She grasped him, and they both moaned as she ran his tip through the strip of her wet curls between her legs. When he was lubricated, she rose onto her knees and positioned him before sinking onto him.

 

“Condom,” he gasped, but she shook her head.

 

“No,” she hummed, “just us.”

 

She threw her head back as she stretched to receive him. He groaned and grunted as she sank onto him so slowly it felt like ice melting and trickling down his cock. Her breasts bobbed in front of his face, and he rested his hands on her hips before sliding around to cup her butt.

 

“You’re a goddess,” he whispered, in awe of her as she adjusted to his girth.

 

She smiled softly and lifted slightly before sinking back down. His eyes fluttered shut at the sensation, and she repeated her action several times before she slipped off him completely. Before he could protest, she slid down him again and rested on his hips.

 

“Oh…” she moaned and lifted off him another time.

 

Finding her rhythm, she began to rock against him, taking him in and then retreating. Over and over, she stretched and bucked until her movements became fluid, and his hips answered her gentle motion.

 

“That’s it,” he grunted. “Fuck, this feels so good…”

 

“Open your eyes,” she demanded. “I want you to watch me.”

 

He obeyed immediately. His eyes dropped to where they were joined, and his cock twitched inside her as he saw her sliding up and down his shaft, slick with her juices. He fought to match her pace, and he grinned when she bucked out of rhythm.

 

“Are you going to come again?”

 

She nodded as she bounced on top of him. “I think so. Oh god, I hope so. This is… You’re…”

 

“…everything I’ve ever wanted,” he groaned as her walls tightened around him.

 

Her skin glistened, and she braced her hands on his shoulders. She basked in his admiration as his eyes scanned her body. She couldn’t read the expression on his face, but it bordered on adoration if she had to bet. She undulated above him, stroking him and finding the angle that made her whimper for more.

 

“Peeta,” she gasped as she quickened her pace. She felt him expand inside her, and she fixed her eyes on his as he succumbed to his climax. His groan rolled from him in an elongated cry of surrender, and she milked him as he poured into her. The warmth from him, his sounds, her heightened sense of power…all of them combined to send her over the edge again, and she ground against him as she came with a triumphant shout.

 

She collapsed against his chest, gasping for breath and completely sated. His arms moved around her to cradle her against him, and she relished the feel of him still sheathed inside her and the aftershocks that shot through her for several minutes after climax.

 

Peeta brushed kisses against her forehead and temple and stroked her braid until it fell free and spread over her shoulders. His chest felt hollow as he held her, emptied of all the pain and frustration he’d felt recently. He was still inside her, although he’d long since gone limp. He wanted to shift her off him and lay her onto the bed so she could sleep properly, but he didn’t want to disturb her. She needed the respite as much as he did—more probably, considering all she’d told him about her recent crises. She sighed in her sleep and cuddled into his neck. With a contented smile, he traced her spine with his thumb until she stirred.

 

“Hey, sweetheart,” he hummed against her hair. She smiled and stretched against him before murmuring her response.

 

“Bathroom.”

 

He helped her off him and grabbed a towel she’d left on the chair before they’d gone to dinner. He cleaned himself as best he could and sat on the edge of the bed as he waited for her to return. When she did, he was struck by her beauty. Her lithe body glowed from their earlier exertion, and she ran her eyes over his naked form.

 

“You look pretty good in my bed,” she laughed. It wasn’t a lie. He did look good, tanned and muscled with tousled golden curls and sparkling eyes. He practically glowed post-orgasm, and she wanted to see it again the next day and then maybe the next after that. And maybe forever.

 

“You’re way too far away from me,” he sighed and grinned as she crossed to him and slipped under the sheet. The feel of her satiny skin against his made him want to cry, it felt so good.

 

She rubbed her leg against his and whispered in his ear, “How long will it take you to recover?”

 

He rolled on top of her and pressed against her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He was soft against her heat, but he knew it wouldn’t be too long before he was ready to go again. Not with her naked against him and her deliberately enticing him. He kissed her deeply for several minutes, pouring his heart into her, and she wriggled beneath him. When he finally twitched and hardened, she pled for him to enter her again.

 

Peeta massaged her clit as he pushed into her, and he dropped his forehead to hers as she closed around him. “Katniss, Katniss, Katniss,” he chanted as he withdrew and plunged into her. She babbled as he lifted her hips and changed the angle. Her eyes were closed, and her arms fell limply to her sides as he slammed his hips against hers. She let him control the pace, helpless as he elicited feelings she hadn’t been sure she’d ever truly experience. Warmth spread through her, and she felt weightless, like she was flying.

 

“Peeta,” she moaned, “I need you.”

 

“I’m here, baby. I’m here,” he panted.

 

_Just be. Enjoy the present. Don’t think about the past or future. Be in the moment. Live in your feelings. Don’t shove anything away. Embrace now._

Her counselor’s words rang in her ears, and Katniss obeyed. She wasn’t happy. That wasn’t the word, but what she felt was much more than that. She concentrated on him inside her, thick and ramrod straight and caressing her walls with every stroke. He smelled amazing, hints of cinnamon and an herb she couldn’t place and didn’t really care to know. The scent of salt water and ocean air filled the room, and she sighed with contentment.

 

She opened her eyes and was met by his intense azure stare. His lips twitched, and his face was a mask of serenity and surrender. His abs rippled as his hips butted against her. A sheen of perspiration covered his skin, and she trailed her hand across the flushed skin of his chest.

 

She breathed in and closed her eyes, and then it happened.

 

“Oh shit,” she whimpered.

 

“You okay?”

 

“Oh shit!”

 

“Katniss?”

 

“ _Oh shit_!”

 

She snapped then, her body taut and then pulsing around him and floating as she came apart. She howled as her orgasm rolled through her, and he shouted her name and pounded against her.

 

Peeta could hardly breathe at the sight of her coming apart underneath him. He wanted to watch it again and again, but he was quickly losing control. He wanted her so much, and everything in his life seemed to have existed for him to be in this room with this woman at that very moment. He closed his eyes and felt her squeeze him inside her as a rush a heat blazed through his groin.

 

“I’m gonna come. Oh fuck! I’m…I can’t—” He garbled his words as he poured into her. It seemed to take hours to empty himself, and he gritted his teeth and breathed, forcing himself to feel every single sensation. The force of his climax shocked him since it was his second of the night, but he didn’t overthink. He just luxuriated in his fulfillment.

 

When they were spent, they continued to writhe together for a few minutes, their bodies sweaty and sticky from their shared exertion. When he finally collapsed on top of her, he expelled an exhausted groan in her ear.

 

“Katniss,” he murmured, “I can’t move.”

 

She threaded her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and kissed his jaw. “I only need to breathe a little bit,” she murmured and scratched her nails down his back. He rolled off her, and she followed him. Settling her head on his chest, she sighed as his arms closed around her.

 

“It’s okay if I spend the night,” he stated more than asked.

 

“Stay with me,” she murmured as her eyes drooped.

 

She heard him mumble something in response, but she was much too tired to catch the content.

 

****

 

_The sun rises over the water as I slip from my room and onto the balcony. The sky glows with pastel pinks, oranges, and yellows that deepen into an inky blue as day breaks._

_Peeta’s still sleeping, exhausted and gloriously naked in my sheets. I wrap my robe around myself and listen to the waves as they lap against the beach. They’re steady but uneven, much like life has been for both of us the past few years._

_Somehow that doesn’t scare me quite as much now that I’ve found myself again. I’m sure some who know me will wonder if meeting Peeta is what healed me, but I know better. He was part of the process, but it was really my own insistence that I listen to the world around me, slow down and appreciate what most people are too busy to see, hear, or observe._

_The clouds have stories. So do the trees. The ocean will whisper secrets to you if you let it. The colors of the sky paint pictures every single day._

_I’ve been angry and sad, dead inside, for far too long, but the wind, sand, and water have helped soothe my burnt edges while in Panem._

_Although sometimes fire isn’t so bad. Not when it comes from a burning desire to connect with someone who really understands and makes you feel alive. One who makes you feel like you can fly._

_One who brings peace._

**Author's Note:**

> Peace is my third and final submission for @mores2sl‘s 2017 anthology. Special thanks to @sohypothetically for her hard work putting this together, those who contributed and donated, and @xerxia31 for the banner. Y’all are the best.


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